The New York Jets (1-2) will look to snap their two-game losing streak in Week 4 against the Chicago Bears (2-1) at Soldier Field. This will be the third-straight week the Jets will face a team in the NFC North.
The Jets have let two potential wins slip through their fingers as closing out games has been their Achilles heel. They blew a 10 point lead in a Week 2 overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers. Last week, they battled back from a 24-10 deficit to tie the Detroit Lions only to lose the game late on a Jahmyr Gibbs touchdown. The Bears are coming off an impressive 27-7 victory at home over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Here are Jets Wire's three key matchups for the Jets vs. the Chicago Bears in Week 4:
Olu Fashanu vs. James Lynch
It only took one bad game from Fashanu for
Jets fans to second guess whether he was the correct pick for the team in 2024. Fashanu struggled big time against the Lions pass rush, allowing two sacks. Heading into last week’s loss to Detroit, Fashanu played well in his first two games, grading out as one of the top offensive linemen in the league.
Fashanu will most likely face off against Lynch, who doesn’t grade out well as a pass rusher or run defender. His pass rush grade of 51.8 ranks towards the bottom of the league (102nd out of 110 defensive ends) and while his run defense grade (61.2) is better, it's nothing to be overly impressed with. If there was ever a bounce back game for Fashanu, this would be it.
Jamien Sherwood vs. Colston Loveland
Playing alongside Demario Davis hasn’t done much to help Sherwood, who is arguably worse in his second season in all categories. Opposing quarterbacks have a combined passer rating of 126.3 on 16 targets and his overall PFF grade on defense is 39.4, ranking him 66th out of 71 linebackers. He hasn't performed well against the run or the pass and it may not be long before Aaron Glenn gives Trevin Wallace or Troy Reeder more of an opportunity because of Sherwood's struggles.
We talk about how Kenyon Sadiq is a matchup nightmare for opposing teams, but Loveland could put up monster numbers on Sunday if Sherwood is in coverage. Loveland is off to a very slow start in his first three games this season with only 5 receptions, 34 yards and no touchdowns. The Jets are fairly thin at linebacker due to injuries to Marcellino McCrary-Ball and Kiko Mauigoa. Sherwood has to show something on Sunday otherwise he won't be the starter for much longer.
Braelon Allen vs. Bears defensive line
Breece Hall will most likely miss this game after suffering a thigh injury late in last week's loss to Detroit. The good news is that the injury is not expected to keep him out of action for very long. With Hall out, Allen should receive the bulk of the carries on Sunday, but I would also expect Isaiah Davis to see more action in a running back by committee role.
The Bears defensive line isn’t great at stopping the run as they allow an average of 117 rushing yards per game. They've also allowed an average of 5.2 yards per carry and three rushing touchdowns in three games. After a strong performance against the Tennessee Titans to open the season, Hall has been brutal, rushing for only 61 yards on 29 carries over his last two games, averaging a little over two yards per carry. The Jets as a team are only averaging 93 yards per game on the ground, ranking them 26th in the league.
Frank Reich will have to figure out a way to get the running game going and perhaps Allen's physical style could be exactly what they need. The Bears defense can be run on and the Jets need to establish the run early and often to avoid becoming a one-dimensional offense.
This article originally appeared on Jets Wire: Jets at Bears: 3 key matchups to watch in Week 4
